Hand-rung forces after a ladder climbing perturbation

Abstract

The hands are believed to be important for arresting falls from ladders. Yet, there is a paucity of kinetic data for the hand-handhold interface during recovery from a ladder climbing perturbation. This study quantified the hand-rung forces utilized after ladder climbing perturbations and the factors (upper body strength, fall severity, reestablished foot placement) contributing to hand-rung force. A ladder rung was released under the foot of the participants to simulate a climbing misstep perturbation. Hand-rung forces after the perturbation were quantified from load cells connected to two ladder rungs. Mean peak hand-rung force magnitudes were found to range between 46% and 84% of the climber's body weight. These magnitudes approached and, in some cases, exceeded individuals' grasping capacity. Individual upper body strength was not found to consistently contribute to hand-rung force, but increased hand-rung force was clearly linked with greater fall severity after an ascending perturbation. Individuals that reestablished foot placement after an ascending perturbation utilized lower hand-rung forces. Therefore, this study suggests hand-rung force to be dependent on circumstances of the falling event (fall severity, reestablished foot placement) as opposed to the climber's capability of producing upper body force. This knowledge highlights the importance of handhold and ladder designs for arresting a falling event, and is critical to inform ladder fall interventions such as designing handholds that resist high forces and permitting steps that enable reestablished foot placement.

Keywords: Fall risk; Hand decoupling; Handhold force; Ladder falls; Upper body strength.